


The Grifter's Lament

by ladybug218



Category: Leverage
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-16
Updated: 2012-06-16
Packaged: 2017-11-07 21:27:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/435629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladybug218/pseuds/ladybug218
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sophie: The lament of the grifter.... who really knows us. (4x13 - The Girls Night Out Job)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Grifter's Lament

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ariestess](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/gifts).



> written for the 2011 leverage secret santa

The first time they cross paths, one is using the name Cynthia and the other is going by Dianne. They're after different targets in the same city (Rome? Venice? somewhere in Italy...) and they end up helping each other out. Afterwards, they stick with the pseudonyms but exchange stories and contact information over a glass of wine. 

The second time they cross paths, they're working on the same target and using the names Katherine and Alyssa. They inadvertently combine forces and end up taking down the original target plus five of his closest friends. Over wine, they end up sharing the names Sophie and Tara with the understanding that those were not the names they were born with.

Over the years, they catch glimpses of each other in various cities. They have an implicit agreement to never work at cross purposes though they never quite end up working together either. They always have a glass of wine and share stories when they run into each other but their friendship doesn't go further than that until Sophie switches sides and starts the Robin Hood gig with Nathan Ford.

Tara didn't believe the rumors when she first heard them. There was no way that Sophie Devereaux had switched sides. Especially not to work with Nate Ford. However, she is concerned that Sophie seems to have fallen off the radar. When the dark-haired grifter calls and invites Tara to visit her in the South of France, she can't resist the invitation. 

They're laying out by the pool in minuscule bikinis, enjoying champagne, when Tara finally asks. "What have you been up to these days, Soph? I've been hearing some rumors..."

Sophie props herself up on one elbow so she can look at Tara. "Oh, a little of this, a little of that. You know how interesting the life of a grifter can be."

The answer serves to further pique Tara's curiosity. They seldom share intricate details of their jobs, but she senses that Sophie is avoiding telling her something and she wonders if there is any truth to the rumors. "Rumor has it you're playing it straight these days."

"You can't believe everything you hear," Sophie replies. 

Tara decides to drop the subject for the moment though she fully intends to bring it up again before she leaves. Unfortunately, Sophie gets wind of some exhibit opening in a Los Angeles museum and she cuts their visit short. Tara is tempted to follow her to the States to see what exactly she's after, but decides that would be over-stepping the bounds of their friendship.

When she answers the phone months later and hears Sophie sobbing on the other end, she immediately regrets not pushing for answers sooner. She flies to Paris to meet Sophie and gets the whole story of what her friend has been up to. She's pretty sure that the concept of Sophie being in love with Nate Ford is way more difficult to wrap her brain around than the idea of Sophie as a modern day Robin Hood. But regardless of how difficult it is to process, she can't say no when Sophie begs her to fly to Boston and help out the old crew while she's taking some time off to 'find herself'. 

Tara is surprised by how much she enjoys working with Nate and the rest of the gang. It would be more fun if she hadn't promised not to sleep with Eliot, but it's still a lot more fun than she was expecting. At least until Nate falls off the wagon. She hesitates to tell Sophie at first, but then she realizes how out of control everything is and knows that she's not going to be able to fix it on her own.

She has never been so glad to see anyone as she was when Sophie showed up on that damn boat. They don't have a chance to talk before Tara disappears and Nate gets arrested. Tara is worried when Sophie falls off the radar again but she knows they will reconnect again soon enough. After all, when you're a grifter there are precious few people in the world who really know you.


End file.
